Thursday, July 26, 2012

3 Random Household Tips

Apparently I'm feeling a little random with my Random Facts post and now these random tips. I'll try to get a little more organized in the future. Maybe.

I just like to pass along any tidbits that I think might be helpful to someone, so I'm sharing two kitchen tips and a general-life tip.

1. Keep your ice cream fresh.
After you scoop out your ice cream, place a piece of plastic wrap over the remaining ice cream in the carton. Gently press it down to cover the surface of the ice cream, and tuck the edges inside the carton (just so they don't stick out when you put the lid on). Put your lid on and put it back in the freezer. Next time you go to get ice cream, it will be just as fresh as a brand new carton and won't have any of those pesky ice crystals.

2. Save your Tupperware.
When you put leftovers into plastic containers, anything tomato-based can (and most likely will) stain your plastic container. This is such an easy fix. Spray your clean container with non-stick spray (such as Pam) before you fill it with spaghetti sauce, chili, etc. After you've consumed your yummy leftovers, your container will wash up nicely with no orange-red stains.

3. Backup your wallet.
We backup our computer files and photographs, but most people don't think to "backup" their wallets. This will take maybe 10 minutes, and it can be done at home if you have a printer/copier/scanner. Simply photocopy the fronts and backs of all your credit cards, debit cards, driver's license, and even gift cards (most companies will issue a replacement for lost or stolen gift cards). I even photocopied my insurance cards and library card. :) My printer also works as a copier, so I just laid my cards face-down and made a copy. Then I flipped them over and made another copy. Store your copies in a safe place in your home. If your purse or wallet is ever lost or stolen, you have all the information you need to quickly cancel debit and credit cards and get replacements for other important cards. A few minutes now can save you some panic and money later if your wallet should go missing.